Consumer Convenience Technologies develops button-release aluminum lid in inclusivity boost
04 Jan 2022 --- Consumer Convenience Technologies (CCT) has developed a software-designed technology branded EEASY Lid, which the company claims is the first jar lid innovation in over 75 years.
Through a light push of the button in the lid’s center, the containers’ vacuum is released, making it easy to open the jar. This mechanism makes the solution particularly useful for people with disabilities.
After releasing the vacuum, the lid is reclosed by pressing the button from the inside of the lid, ensuring the freshness of remaining content.
Recycling benefits
The EEASY solution is reportedly the world’s first aluminum lug jar lid, improving material and recycling conditions compared to steel lug lids.
CCT president Brandon Bach tells PackagingInsights: “Research found the EEASY Lid reduces the amount of torque needed to twist off a jar lid by more than 40% compared to standard CT lids and 58% for traditional lug lids.”
The company is currently in talks with major brands, grocers and manufacturers to bring the EEASY Lid to market, he says. “We are optimistic the EEASY Lid will be in the market this year.”
“The EEASY Lid is disrupting the closure industry in two ways: by providing a vastly improved consumer experience for opening jars and being the world’s first aluminum lug lid, designed with [environmental] sustainability and durability in mind,” he adds.
CCT’s president Brandon Bach (right) and managing partner James Bach.
“Prior to the EEASY Lid, lug lids were only made of steel. Aluminum offers an unmatched combination of high strength, lightweight and corrosion-resistance material, in addition to being more desirable than steel when it comes to recycling.”
Overcoming design challenges
Bach stresses the company went through several design trials and errors before creating the inclusive jar lid. “In over eight years of R&D, one drawback we had to overcome was creating a button to add to lids that consumers could push to release the vacuum.”
CCT encountered an additional challenge when selecting a more environmentally sustainable material than steel.
“Through R&D, we found aluminum was more desirable when it came to recyclability, and more durable than steel. From there, we needed to tweak our production line to accommodate producing aluminum lids,” notes Bach.
The pandemic presented another challenge, he adds: “COVID-19 created a few delays in getting the machinery and equipment needed to produce the EEASY Lid, but we are now officially up and running with production.”
Inclusive technology
The EEASY Lid is considered an inclusive packaging option, meaning it is suitable for those with disabilities or physical limitations.
“This [inclusivity] can include everything from major disabilities to arthritis, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, recovering from a surgical procedure, or just growing older,” says Bach.
In a similar development, PopPack and PPi Technologies developed an air-powered food pouch, which uses an air bubble function as a lever to open packages easily when the bubble is popped.
A glimpse into EEASY Lid’s production line.
The company president asserts three points crucial for grocers, food companies and manufacturers to understand about the EEASY Lid:
- Consumers require an easy jar opening experience.
- The EEASY Lid is an inclusive packaging product, opening the market up to a majority of consumers with disabilities or physical limitations and more inclusive packaging to accommodate these consumers are needed.
- CCT has run multiple consumer surveys showing the want and need for a product like the EEASY Lid.
Working with data
In a recent consumer study, CCT’s new aluminum lug EEASY Lid was tested against traditional lug lids. Results found that:
- 100% of consumers said the EEASY Lid was easy to open.
- No consumers found the EEASY Lid difficult to open, while 28% of consumers found the traditional jar lid difficult to open.
- 95% of consumers said the EEASY Lid met their needs compared to traditional jar lids (45%).
- 90% of consumers said the EEASY Lid performed better than they expected.
- 71% of consumers said they would buy a product with the EEASY Lid compared to 18% for traditional jar lids.
- If the same product had an EEASY Lid and traditional jar lid as options, 87% of consumers said they would buy the product with the EEASY Lid.
By Natalie Schwertheim
